Royals In-Game Host Tim Scott takes fans around the stands of Kauffman Stadium and behind the scenes of Royals Game Entertainment.

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The 2010 Baseball season is officially in the books. As I’ve been watching the MLB post-season I’ve found it fascinating how the TV people always try to find “story-lines” and other stuff to beef up the drama of the actual games. Why is that, I wonder. I suppose it’s so we can root for players, that perhaps, we can identify with and to persuade us to “pull” for one team/player. Ultimately, I guess it’s supposed to help us feel invested and make it that much more entertaining, especially if we have no particular affinity for either team.

Anyhow, the video montages and tributes that have been paraded out this post-season reminded me of a brief conversation I had with Royals Assistant GM J.J Picollo at the 2009 Kansas City Royals Awards Night. There was a quite moving Video Tribute to the Royals of Past and Present that evening and I was quite taken by it and how the audience was reacting as well. We were backstage and I leaned over to J.J and said “Who needs reality T.V, this is the real deal, it’s so emotional.” He quietly nodded while watching the tribute and said, “that’s what it’s all about.” Of course it is. I guess the reason why is different for every person. Your dad used to take you as a kid, you met your wife at a game, or maybe you’ve just waited around since the early 1900s for your team to cash in and your “emotional attachment” to your team is a birthright.

Regardless, any and all of those reasons prompted me to find THIS video. It was a part of the Royals Opening Day Celebration in 2009. To my knowledge, if you were not present at that game, you probably have never seen it… and you should. I think it’s a great reminder of why living in Kansas City and being a Royals fan is a pretty sweet gig.

There is a promotion that we do in between innings at The K called The Chevy Youth Baseball “Strike Zone” Challenge.

A child (usually 10-12 yrs old) has 3 pitches to throw a ball through a hole which resides in a 4×3 ft wooden cut out of Sluggerrr. The opening, which the ball must travel through, is about 9-12 inches in diameter and the kid throws from about 35 ft away.

Now this challenge is kind of tough. So much so, it had only been conquered one time before. On this particular night, I learned that our contestant was young Brayden. Brayden is 7 years old and he was among the youngest to ever attempt this challenge if not the youngest.

He was very nervous. During the inning before, while practicing, he couldn’t stay back where he needed to throw from. He kept using a “running start” to throw the balls. His dad must have sensed his nervousness because he was on the field at the “Little K” with us. This was a first as parents usually stay out side with the spectators.

It’s Showtime

3 outs in the real game means it’s game time for us. I explain the rules to Brayden and on his first throw he actually gets kind of close. Second throw… Not so close. Now it’s important to mention that I never expect kids to win this challenge. It’s not easy. I’ve seen adults try it and they have a tough time themselves… that is if they make it at all. Add to that, young Brayden gets only 3 pitches, he has 2 cameras in his face, Sluggerrr jumping up and down all over him, and me screaming in his face. No, not easy at all. After an “unofficial – no pressure – practice shot”, and a brief pep talk from me, Brayden is set to make his final attempt at victory…

Needless to say, he made it. It was amazing. The crowd around the Little K and even around The Big K went nuts. Little Brayden was so surprised/happy/overwhelmed that I thought he was going to cry. His father looked prouder than anything you could ever imagine. It was a genuine, honest to God emotional experience, and it was amazing.

As the game went on several people asked me about Brayden and what had happened at the Little K earlier that evening. One person even remarked, “I bet that kid remembers that for the rest of his life.”

If that’s not reason enough to do it, I don’t know what is.

Although the video doesn’t do justice to the actual moment, here it is:

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